AMD Radeon Vega 11 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 and AMD Radeon Vega 11 represent two very different approaches to graphics: a dedicated, high-power add-in card from 2013 versus an integrated processor graphics solution from 2019. The benchmark data shows a clear split, with the GTX 770 dominating in OpenCL and Vulkan workloads, while the Vega 11 pulls ahead significantly in Metal. This is not a straightforward "which is faster" comparison; it is a question of which API and use case you prioritize, as their overall average scores are remarkably close.

Where Each One Wins

The GeForce GTX 770 is the clear winner in two of the three head-to-head benchmarks. Its most substantial victory comes in Vulkan, where it scores 19,166 against the Vega 11's 12,273, a commanding 56.2% lead. This suggests the older Kepler architecture is far more capable in modern Vulkan-based titles and applications. The GTX 770 also wins in OpenCL with a score of 15,707 versus 13,392, a 17.3% advantage. These wins point toward the GTX 770 being the better choice for general-purpose compute tasks and for users running Vulkan-based game engines.

The AMD Radeon Vega 11 has one decisive win, and it is a big one. In Geekbench Metal, it scores 17,392 against the GTX 770's 9,369, a 46.1% advantage. This is a massive gap and indicates that for macOS environments or applications that leverage Apple's Metal API, the Vega 11 is the superior part despite being an integrated solution. This is likely the only scenario where the Vega 11 is the recommended pick, but it is a significant one for that specific ecosystem.

The overall win count reflects this split, with the GTX 770 taking 2 wins and the Vega 11 taking 1. The average benchmark scores are very close, with the GTX 770 at 14,747 and the Vega 11 at 14,352. This near-parity in average score, combined with the divergent API results, means the "best" choice is entirely dependent on the software environment. For Vulkan and OpenCL, the GTX 770 is the clear pick; for Metal, the Vega 11 is the only logical choice.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two is stark. The GTX 770 is built on NVIDIA's Kepler architecture, using the GK104 chip manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It is a large, discrete GPU with a die size of 294 mm² and 3,540 million transistors, resulting in a transistor density of 12.0M / mm². In contrast, the Vega 11 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on AMD's GCN 5.0 architecture, using the Picasso chip. It is built on a more modern 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with a smaller die size of 210 mm² but a higher transistor count of 4,940 million, yielding a much higher density of 23.5M / mm².

The memory configurations could not be more different. The GTX 770 has a dedicated 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 224.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega 11 uses System Shared memory, meaning its memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." This is a fundamental limitation for the Vega 11, as it must share bandwidth with the CPU, whereas the GTX 770 has its own high-speed memory pool. This explains the GTX 770's significant advantage in bandwidth-heavy compute tasks.

The compute resources also differ. The GTX 770 packs 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The Vega 11 has 704 shading units, 44 TMUs, and only 8 ROPs. This disparity in ROPs is particularly large and impacts pixel fill rate, which is reflected in the pixel rate numbers: 34.72 GPixel/s for the GTX 770 versus 11.20 GPixel/s for the Vega 11. The GTX 770 also has a higher texture rate at 138.9 GTexel/s versus 61.60 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 3.333 TFLOPS for the GTX 770 and 1.971 TFLOPS for the Vega 11, though the Vega 11 does offer FP16 performance of 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1), a feature the GTX 770 lacks. The power envelope is a major differentiator: the GTX 770 has a 230 W TDP and requires both a 6-pin and 8-pin power connector, while the Vega 11 has a 15 W TDP and requires no power connectors, being an IGP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic result is in Geekbench Metal. The Vega 11 scores 17,392, which is 46.1% higher than the GTX 770's 9,369. This is not a small margin; it is a near-doubling of performance. This indicates that the Vega 11's GCN architecture, despite being an IGP, is far better optimized for the Metal API than the older Kepler design. For anyone running Metal-based software, this single benchmark makes the Vega 11 the obvious choice.

The OpenCL benchmark presents a different story. Here, the GTX 770 scores 15,707, which is 17.3% higher than the Vega 11's 13,392. While not as dramatic as the Metal result, this is a solid, consistent victory for the older card. The GTX 770's dedicated memory and higher bandwidth likely contribute to this win, as OpenCL workloads often benefit from fast, private memory access. The 17.3% delta is significant enough to matter in compute-heavy applications.

The Vulkan benchmark is where the GTX 770 truly separates itself. With a score of 19,166 versus the Vega 11's 12,273, the GTX 770 leads by a massive 56.2%. This is the largest delta in the entire comparison and shows Kepler has surprisingly strong Vulkan support. The GTX 770's average benchmark score of 14,747 places it in the 57th percentile of all GPUs, while the Vega 11's 14,352 places it in the 56th percentile. The GTX 770's nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT, which it trails by only 0.4%, while the Vega 11 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN, trailing by just 0.1%.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is better for modern gaming APIs like Vulkan?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 is significantly better. In the Geekbench Vulkan test, it scores 19,166 compared to the Vega 11's 12,273, a 56.2% lead.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon Vega 11 competitive in any scenario?

A: Yes, particularly in Metal-based environments. The Vega 11 scores 17,392 in Geekbench Metal, which is 46.1% higher than the GTX 770's score of 9,369.

Q: How do their overall performance scores compare?

A: They are very close. The GTX 770 has an average benchmark score of 14,747, while the Vega 11 has an average score of 14,352. The GTX 770 sits in the 57th percentile of all GPUs, and the Vega 11 sits in the 56th.

Q: What are the major memory differences?

A: The GTX 770 has 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 224.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Vega 11 uses System Shared memory, with its bandwidth being System Dependent.

Q: How do their power requirements differ?

A: The GTX 770 has a 230 W TDP and requires a 6-pin and 8-pin power connector, with a suggested 550 W PSU. The Vega 11 is an IGP with a 15 W TDP and no power connectors.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 11 has a much higher transistor density at 23.5M / mm² compared to the GTX 770's 12.0M / mm², due to its newer 12 nm process.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion: pick the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 unless you specifically require Metal performance. For Vulkan and OpenCL workloads, the GTX 770 is unequivocally superior, with a 56.2% and 17.3% lead respectively. Its dedicated 2 GB of GDDR5 memory and higher pixel and texture rates make it a more capable compute and rendering device. The GTX 770 also has a higher average benchmark score and percentile ranking, reinforcing its overall performance edge.

The AMD Radeon Vega 11 is the correct choice only for users who need Metal compatibility. Its 46.1% lead in that specific benchmark is decisive and cannot be ignored. However, this is a single API, and outside of it, the Vega 11 falls behind. Its system-shared memory and low pixel rate are significant drawbacks for any performance-sensitive task. The Vega 11's low 15 W TDP is a practical advantage for system builders, but it does not compensate for the performance deficits in most benchmarks.

For a dedicated GPU user running Windows or Linux with OpenCL or Vulkan applications, the GTX 770 is the only sensible option. For a system relying on integrated graphics in a Metal-centric ecosystem, the Vega 11 is the necessary choice. In any other scenario, the GTX 770's substantial leads in two of three benchmarks make it the winner.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two GPUs:

• Architecture: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 uses Kepler; AMD Radeon Vega 11 uses GCN 5.0.
• Process Node: GTX 770 is on 28 nm; Vega 11 is on 12 nm.
• Foundry: GTX 770 uses TSMC; Vega 11 uses GlobalFoundries.
• Transistors: GTX 770 has 3,540 million; Vega 11 has 4,940 million.
• Die Size: GTX 770 is 294 mm²; Vega 11 is 210 mm².
• Transistor Density: GTX 770 is 12.0M / mm²; Vega 11 is 23.5M / mm².
• Base Clock: GTX 770 is 1046 MHz; Vega 11 is 300 MHz.
• Boost Clock: GTX 770 is 1085 MHz; Vega 11 is 1400 MHz.
• Memory: GTX 770 has 2 GB GDDR5; Vega 11 has System Shared.
• Memory Bus: GTX 770 is 256 bit; Vega 11 is System Shared.
• Memory Bandwidth: GTX 770 is 224.4 GB/s; Vega 11 is System Dependent.
• Shading Units: GTX 770 has 1536; Vega 11 has 704.
• TMUs: GTX 770 has 128; Vega 11 has 44.
• ROPs: GTX 770 has 32; Vega 11 has 8.
• Pixel Rate: GTX 770 is 34.72 GPixel/s; Vega 11 is 11.20 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: GTX 770 is 138.9 GTexel/s; Vega 11 is 61.60 GTexel/s.
• FP32: GTX 770 is 3.333 TFLOPS; Vega 11 is 1.971 TFLOPS.
• FP16: GTX 770 is null; Vega 11 is 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1).
• TDP: GTX 770 is 230 W; Vega 11 is 15 W.
• Slot Width: GTX 770 is Dual-slot; Vega 11 is IGP.
• Power Connectors: GTX 770 is 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin; Vega 11 is None.
• Suggested PSU: GTX 770 is 550 W; Vega 11 is null.
• Bus Interface: GTX 770 is PCIe 3.0 x16; Vega 11 is IGP.
• Display Outputs: GTX 770 is 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2; Vega 11 is Motherboard Dependent.
• DirectX: GTX 770 is 12 (11_0); Vega 11 is 12 (12_1).
• Vulkan: GTX 770 is 1.2.175; Vega 11 is 1.3.
• Dimensions: GTX 770 is 267 mm x 111 mm x 38 mm; Vega 11 has null dimensions.
• Release Date: GTX 770 is 2013-05-29; Vega 11 is 2019-09-29.
• Launch MSRP: GTX 770 is 399 USD; Vega 11 is null.